How many times is it ok to view a house?

mayfeather

Hi everyone,

My partner and I are looking to buy, and have seen a lot of houses in the last month, most of which have been awful, and overpriced (don't know if it's just me who thinks the stock on the market at the moment is pretty poor!)

Then saw a house today - really really lovely, within budget, feeling very excited about it.

But I want to be sensible and think with my head not my heart, and plan on seeing it again next weekend just me and my OH.

However - we have two teenagers who I would also want to see it before putting in an offer, and also maybe my sister to get some objective thoughts.

Is it ok to see a property three times, before maybe putting in an offer?

My OH seems to think that 3 viewings would be a bit rude, and that most people would only have 2?

I'm not sure - is it too much to want to see a house more than twice when we're going to spending a terrifying amounts of money on it?!

Thanks, and sorry for the long post!!

satchmeister

Your biggest purchase and you will spend 20 minutes in total looking at it. You spend longer than that buying a shirt. I would view at least 4 times. What colour was the carpet in the spare bedroom? What colour was the plug in the kitchen sink? cant remember? I would also view at different times of day. eg is the wall outside the meeting point for the local yobbos after 9 at night?

leoren

View it as many times as you need to be positive it's right. Just remember that other people can be viewing and may also fall in love with it? To reduce the total number of viewings (to keep him indoors happy) is there any reason your sister can't take a look whilst you show the teenagers around?

tyllwyd

I would say that if you have three viewings & don't put in an offer, the vendors will not exactly be best pleased with you, although there is not much they can do except moan about you afterwards! I'd agree with the OP, if you like the house on the next viewing, why not take the teenagers & sister both along to to the third - or take sister along to viewing number two?

mayfeather

Thanks - I think you're right, if we're still keen after seeing it again, we'll take kids + sister.

The vendor seems really nice, so don't want him to feel we're stringing him along, I know how stressful it is selling a house, without potential buyers messing you about!

steve1980

Is your sister buying the property with you? If not then she really does not need to see it. If it's your dream house then you don't need you sister opinion. As soon as you said that I thought you were thinking of a reason to not buy it.

tbs624

I agree that it's important to have more than one viewing so that you get the chance to go over things you aren't sure about but, if you are FTBs and I was the vendor, I think I may be concerned about whether you are going to need input from your teenagers and your sister throughout the whole buying process.

DPJames

If you need the check things over then ask for a viewing as many times as you like. But a viewing just to show the kids and your sister around is a bit unnecessary. The kids don't really need to see it, they'll live where you live and your sister can see it when you've stopped messing people about and bought it.

wavel

Go as many times as you want, you're the client / customer / buyer with their future finances dependent on your whim. Nobody is going to shout at you for showing excessive interest in the single largest asset they own and are trying to flog, and if they do just find another one.

hbk619

You're not stringing someone along by viewing the house multiple times, just being sensible. The more times you view the less chance you have of missing something.

PaulHUK

hbk619 wrote: »

You're not stringing someone along by viewing the house multiple times, just being sensible. The more times you view the less chance you have of missing something.

Exactly. Frankly, selling my place, I'd be happy to have people view 2 or 3 times... a 2nd or 3rd viewing only means they are likely to be serious potential buyers. For my first move I viewed with a friend, then a parent then a friend of a parent who was a retired surveyor. Then I sent in an electrician and a plumber by arrangement to tell me the cost of some necessary work. In the end I did buy, so the owner and agent achieved their objective. View as much as you need to I say. You could lose out if you take too long over it but if it helps you make the right decision, go for it.